Herbert Hoover Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Herbert Hoover’s presidency is associated with the Great Depression seeing that eight months into his term, the stock market collapsed starting an economic depression that would leave 23% of Americans unemployed by 1932. Hoover failed to take the actions needed to help the country initially, however in his annual speech to Congress in 1932, Hoover discusses three directions in which the government can take to aid the rebuilding of the economy. When the United States Stock Market crashed in October 1929 and the country began its ten year Depression, businesses and banks began closing left and right. This caused many Americans to lose their jobs and created massive amounts of poverty throughout the country. Prices became inflated and simple,

Even at the end of his term he was still avoiding mentioning just how bad things were. Instead Hoover focused on the Depression as a unifying event. He tells Congress in his Annual Message to Congress on December 6, 1932, “In the face of widespread hardship our people have demonstrated daily a magnificent sense of humanity, of individual and community responsibility for the welfare of the less fortunate” (Hoover). He believes that the Depression has brought Americans together to serve those less fortunate. Hoover has been attempting to lessen the blow of the Depression in his speeches by discussing how Americans have been brought together by their struggling which can be seen in his Annual Address to Congress from the prior year. He comments, “Our citizens and our local governments have given a magnificent display of unity and action, initiative and patriotism in solving a multitude of difficulties and in cooperating with the Federal Government” (Hoover). Instead of discussing the actual issues of the Depression, such as the rapid increase in unemployment, Hoover choses to focus on the good. This upset the people, however. They wanted their president to acknowledge the severity of the situation and take action. The fact that Hoover did not see the Depression

In 1832, he shared these ideas in his Annual Message to Congress. His first point was the “continuing reduction of all government expenditures, whether national, state, or local” was essential to repairing the economy (Hoover). Hoover states the importance of this step by saying, “That is the first necessity of national stability and is the foundation of further recovery. It must be balanced in an absolutely safe and sure manner if full confidence is to be inspired” (Hoover). He acknowledges that the only way to move forward in recovery is through the stabilization of the nation. His next suggestion is the “complete reorganization at once of our banking system” (Hoover). The banks of the country are a mess and Hoover does not fail to recognize they are an issue. He believes the banks have contributed to the severity of the depression and until they are reorganized, the country will be unable to move forward in the journey towards recovery. His final point is “vigorous and whole-souled cooperation with other governments in the economic field” (Hoover). He believes that cooperation with other nations will help America heal in that it would open up economic opportunities. Without these other nations, America would be doomed. Before his